Greece Large Hermes Head, 20 Lepta, Blue

Greece · 1861 · 20 Lepta

This stamp is part of the first definitive series of Greece, known as the 'Large Hermes Heads'. The design features a profile of the Greek god Hermes, messenger of the gods, modeled after a medal by the French engraver Albert Désiré Barre. The denomination is 20 Lepta, and this issue is printed in blue.

Issued in 1861, these were the first stamps of the modern Greek state, symbolizing its classical heritage and sovereignty just a few decades after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire.